When evaluating the various general contractor software options in the market, it is essential for companies to choose a product that can create the maximum impact on their eventual construction project outcomes. The final decision can be hard to make given the rising number of software solutions available for general contractors.
In order to make the right choice, companies should place emphasis on reducing errors due to miscommunication and improving field visibility.
A combination of these improvements will improve flow of information from the field to the office and vice-versa, providing a steady stream of data in the form of daily field reports and time logs. This data can then be visualized through dashboards for meaningful analytics.
Naturally, with many different factors at play, the ideal software would serve as a single hub where all this information can not only be gathered and stored, but also analyzed. Let’s take a look at some of the key features that are essential in a typical general contractor software:
This is a core feature every software comes with. The basic ability to create projects and tasks to assign to team members will allow teams to then keep track of the progress as they go towards completion. Project managers can keep track of timelines, manage resources, and evaluate the overall schedule after each milestone.
Moreover, by uploading relevant photos and documents related to the project, every member has access to the latest information, which improves team-wide communication.
Any construction project is document intensive. Right from the initial plans to contracts and compliance related files, every document is important and plays a role at various points in a project. It is important to have these documents meticulously organized for easy retrieval. For instance, you don’t want to be searching for a key compliance related document the day before an audit is due.
Usually, any software product stores data in the cloud, so this automatically becomes a great solution to store and organize your docs in one single repository. Make sure that you can control access to specific documents, so that only those meant to see them can do so.
Another facet of construction documents are obviously the drawings. It is almost certain that these drawings will go through multiple revisions throughout the course of a project. It them becomes necessary for these changes to reflect immediately to every project member. This way, work is not done on outdated plans, and costly rework and delays are avoided.
Tracking time is crucial for companies in two big ways - to process payroll and bill clients. Both aspects involve money flowing in or out, and mistakes simply cannot be made here. A robust general contractor software will allow accounting teams to see the time spent on multiple projects in a single, easily digestible interface. This will save countless hours each month that would otherwise be spent manually sifting through time card details from different projects, which is very error prone.
Tracking time is only one step though. Ensure that the software also has integrations with external ERP or HRIS products for a smoother and uninterrupted workflow.
A more advanced general contractor software would also have features like anomaly handling and automated compliance related rules built in, saving you hours of work and making sure you are in line with the various time-related regulations.
The real success of any construction project is based on the outcomes in the field reaching the office on time, with detailed information.
To this effect, look for products that provide relevant forms that can be filled by field crews on the site from their mobile devices. If the product can provide customizable forms, even better for you as it reduces deviating from your current workflows.
Another important aspect to look out for is attaching photos along with the forms. A lot of the software products out there are beginning to provide this feature as it provides great value for field workers. Daily reports can then be submitted within minutes, which opens up time for other core work.
Usually, within a project, general contractor software allows users to set budgets and record actual costs. Subsequently, comparing things like original budget vs actual spend will give you an overview of the current financials of each project. Choose a software that allows you to not only set budgets but track spending. This will allow you to detect patterns and proactively avoid any cost overruns. Combined with reporting and analytics features, the software should help you make better decisions not only for the rest of the project but for future ones as well.
Possibly the number one priority in construction is the safety of the workers. There are varying laws and regulations depending on the nature and location of the work, and it is mandated that companies adhere to these laws.
Look for a software that lets you perform safety checks, track compliance requirements, report safety incidents and near-misses, and provide adequate training for your team.
And as mentioned earlier, your software should ideally have checks to ensure that all time and break related laws are being followed.
In addition to ensuring safety, you are also protected against costly fines for non-adherence to regulations, which would cause a dent to your financials.
With the actual work being done on the field, you need to enable your field crews to send updates and log time from the field on individual mobile devices. Look for software that comes with mobile apps. This will make it easier for field teams to send accurate data back to the office, and with individual devices rather than a common device being used, the whole process is faster and can increase the buy-in from your whole team.
While a mobile app would go a long way to improving efficiency and data collection, you need to make sure that the app works even in areas of low/no internet connectivity. Typically, a general contractor software with offline capabilities will allow users to capture and enter data as usual and store it on their device. Once connectivity is detected, this data is automatically sent to the concerned stakeholders. This ensures there is no data loss and hence no key information falling through the cracks.
Data can be useful only if made use of in the right way. All the valuable information coming in from the field everyday must be available to digest in various forms like dashboards, graphs, and map plots. Choose an app that allows you to visualize data easily so that you can make informed, data-driven decisions for future projects.
Ideally, you should be able to see trends from various project locations, track form submissions, and monitor time logs from field crews. You can then plug any gaps that you spot, and keep up a constant flow of vital information from the jobsites.
A true, all-in-one solution should have robust and 2-way integrations with major third party apps. The main reason for this is that companies most likely use multiple apps today for different functions. If you choose a software that integrates with all of these other apps, you can have a truly centralized workflow with all of your data available on a single platform. This will eliminate the need to switch between multiple apps, thus saving time and reducing errors.
